Voting under way in Alamance County

Published: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 08:55 AM.

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A check Tuesday of precincts across
Ala
mance
County
showed strong Election Day turnout, but not an overwhelming crush of voters.

“There’s been nothing we can’t handle,” said Kathy Holland, director of the
Ala
mance
County
B
o
ard of Elections. “Early voting was a tremendous help.”

She said of
Ala
mance
County
’s almost 97,000 voters, about 39,000 cast ballots prior to Tuesday.
Holland
said that’s better than 3,000 more than took advantage of early voting in 2008.

Chief judges at a number of precincts agreed early voting significantly reduced any crunch at the polls on Election Day. Kritz Cox, judge at the Graham 3 precinct at
Andrews
Elementary School
off
McKinney
Street
, said there were about 50 people waiting to vote when polls opened at 6:30 a.m. That group quickly cast their ballots and left, he said, and turnout remained steady.

“It’s been very orderly,” Cox said. “Just a nice busy day.”

Outside the school, Kenneth Wilson returned to his car after voting.
Wilson
, 88, is a retired Baptist minister. He said the fact he’s retired makes voting easier, allowing him the luxury of going to the poll between the rush of early morning voters and those who try to cast ballots while on their lunch breaks.

A check Tuesday of precincts across AlamanceCounty showed strong Election Day turnout, but not an overwhelming crush of voters.

“There’s been nothing we can’t handle,” said Kathy Holland, director of the AlamanceCountyBoard of Elections. “Early voting was a tremendous help.”

She said of AlamanceCounty’s almost 97,000 voters, about 39,000 cast ballots prior to Tuesday. Holland said that’s better than 3,000 more than took advantage of early voting in 2008.

Chief judges at a number of precincts agreed early voting significantly reduced any crunch at the polls on Election Day. Kritz Cox, judge at the Graham 3 precinct at AndrewsElementary School off McKinney Street, said there were about 50 people waiting to vote when polls opened at 6:30 a.m. That group quickly cast their ballots and left, he said, and turnout remained steady.

“It’s been very orderly,” Cox said. “Just a nice busy day.”

Outside the school, Kenneth Wilson returned to his car after voting. Wilson, 88, is a retired Baptist minister. He said the fact he’s retired makes voting easier, allowing him the luxury of going to the poll between the rush of early morning voters and those who try to cast ballots while on their lunch breaks.

“I just walked right in and voted,” Wilson said about 10:30 a.m.

At the East Graham precinct at the GrahamCivicCenter, Chief Judge Linda Christensen said more than 200 voters had cast ballots four hours into Election Day. She said she was pleased with the turnout, and equally pleased the only ones who had to wait in line were those who showed up prior to the opening of polls.

“There really hasn’t been much waiting,” Christensen said. “Even those who came early only had to wait about five minutes to vote.”

She said problems were few. “We’ve had a couple of transfers, a few people in the wrong precinct,” Christensen said. “Typical election day stuff.”

At the Central Boone precinct at HollyHillBaptistChurch, June Campbell was another precinct judge who praised the wonders of early voting.

“This morning, we had a long line,” she said of those waiting when polls opened. “Now, it’s just steady. I’m happy when our voters get out. Things are running smoothly.”

At the West Burlington precinct at First Presbyterian Church, Chief Judge Vicki Vernon described the day as “just lovely.

“Early voting, that’s been a big help,” she said. “We usually only have three or four waiting at any given time.”

Vernon said she was happy with the steady pace of voters, noting a continual turnout made time pass more quickly for poll workers.

About 4 p.m. she studied the door to the community center through which a steady stream of voters entered. “It’ll be steady from here on out,” Bell predicted.

Back at the board of elections in Graham, Holland said her office phone had been ringing constantly, but said it wouldn’t be Election Day if it were otherwise. She said lots of callers are asking where they’re supposed to vote. Holland said when she and her workers showed up at the office at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, one man was waiting for them in the parking lot, wanting instruction on the precinct where he might cast his ballot.